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KEVIN KEARNEY/Times-Shamrock
The old Noxen train depot, a gateway to the Endless Mountains, needs prompt local action or its fate is endangered, state group says.

The old train depot in Noxen was listed recently as an endangered historic property, but that could be a good thing.

Paul Lumia, executive director of the North Branch Land Trust, is hopeful the structure can be rehabilitated and believes the at-risk listing will bring attention to the plight of the station.

"It's definitely beneficial (being on the list) because from that, we're hoping to get some donations or manpower help," Lumia said.

The former Lehigh Valley Railroad Depot, which stands along state Route 3002 (Stull Road) and Bowman's Creek, is among 10 statewide endangered resources noted in 'Pennsylvania At Risk,' an annual list released recently that was compiled by the non-profit group, Preservation Pennsylvania.

The objective of the list is to bring attention to the structures with the hope of prompting local action.

The Noxen depot - the last surviving structure on the rail line, which closed in 1963 - has gone unused for the better part of three decades and has been a victim of deterioration, vandalism and the elements.

According to Preservation Pennsylvania, endangerment is defined as "a threat of demolition, significant deterioration, vandalism, alteration and/or loss of its historic setting."

In the depot's case, disuse and vandalism were the primary factors for it being designated 'at-risk,' said Erin Hammerstedt, field representative for Preservation Pennsylvania.

Hammerstedt said NBLT, a regional land conservancy based in Trucksville, has done a "great job" in restoring the stability of the once-crumbling structure.

The next step is rehabilitating the interior so the building can be occupied.

"There is a concern that if the building isn't occupied, it won't be maintained," Hammerstedt said.

NBLT's goal is to turn the depot into a community meeting place, a railroad-artifacts museum and a prime destination along a proposed Bowman's Creek Rail-Trail.

"We want to utilize it as a stopping point for people going into the mountains," Lumia said, noting the unique appearance of the one-story building with a double-sloped hip roof and deep bracketed eaves.

While it has restored the majority of the exterior of the wood-frame structure, thousands of dollars worth of work is needed on the inside.

Making the undertaking more difficult is the fact that NBLT, a non-profit agency, was recently denied a $200,000 state grant. The grant was denied due to a lack of available funding.

"Money is tight all around," Lumia said.

Lumia said NBLT is looking into other funding options, including exploring additional grant opportunities.

Lumia said the restoration of the structure is important because Noxen serves as a gateway to one of the largest forested areas in Northeast Pennsylvania.

From Noxen westward, the rail bed currently provides access to state game lands used year-round by outdoor enthusiasts who pass by the vacant depot, he said.

The main repair needs consist of the installation of a well, septic and heating systems, in addition to bathroom upgrades.

Lumia said the project is important because, for the most part, Noxen's history is hidden and hard to read.

Landmarks such as a nearby tannery, lumber mills and the railroad itself are gone.

The depot, if rehabilitated, could serve as a venue to help visitors, local school children and other groups understand the history of the community, he said.

NBLT's efforts with the depot date back to 1999 when it was approached by the owner and concerned Noxen citizens.

The NBLT was given the depot on the condition that it would try to save it. Since 2000, the NBLT has received several grants to help in its rehabilitation efforts. In addition, the organization has received much community support through monetary donations and volunteer work, Lumia said.

But the recent denial of state funds was a setback, throwing off the project's timetable, Lumia said.

The station, completed in 1893 by the Lehigh Valley Railroad, provided through service from Wilkes-Barre to Towanda, with Noxen serving as a major point.

Noxen tannery, which began operating in 1891, built upon the local availability of hemlock bark to become one of the largest industrial employers in the Endless Mountains.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad developed what would become its Bowman's Creek branch in order to access the integrated lumbering, tanning and ice-cutting industries that transformed the landscape of the area.

In the railroad's heyday, Wyoming County stops included Noxen, Stull and Bakers.

Passenger service on the Bowman's Creek branch was eliminated in 1936, and freight trains then were down to one a day at most. The line was abandoned entirely in 1963.

kkearney@wcexaminer.com

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